Choose the most appropriate meaning/phrasal verb/word/verb for the sentence. The only fly in the ointment was the broken microphone.

Question

Option 1: The solution to a problem

Option 2: An unexpected gift

Option 3: A minor flaw in an otherwise good situation

Option 4: A funny distraction

AfterBoards · Accepted Answer

**"A fly in the ointment"** is an idiom that means a small problem that spoils an otherwise perfect situation. Picture a beautiful jar of healing cream — everything about it is perfect, but then a tiny fly lands in it. The cream is still mostly good, but that one little fly spoils it. In the sentence, everything was going well, but the broken microphone was that one small thing that caused trouble. This directly matches **Option 3: A minor flaw in an otherwise good situation** ✅ Let's confirm by eliminating the other options: - **Option 1** → A fly in ointment ruins it, not fixes it — so it's not "a solution to a problem." - **Option 2** → A bug in your cream is never a pleasant surprise — so it's not "an unexpected gift." - **Option 4** → A broken microphone isn't funny — the idiom talks about a problem, not something humorous. Hence, **Option 3** is correct.

BMSAT Kozhikode (VA) PYQs

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